Annamacharya hailed the feet of the Lord as those which had been washed by Brahma himself which are of Brahman Itself, which bear the burdens of the entire universe, and the burden of all human bodies. How is this done. The Divine is Purna-Swarupa (All-encompassing form). Just as the feet of the individual bear the burden of the human body, the subtle body of the Divine bears on its feet the entire universe. Without the feet the body cannot move.
Recognizing that the macrocosm and microcosm are constituted by the same five basic elements, man should realise that the Divine is present in everything. Hence, man should chant the name of the Lord from the core of his heart and take refuge in the feet of the Lord. Annamacharya declared ‘Oh mind! Take refuge in the lotus feet of the Lord. They will relieve you of all your miseries and lead you to the Divine.’
When Bharat enthroned the Padukas (sandals) of Rama, Ayodhya was really protected by Rama’s sandals.Bhadrachala Ramadasu also sang in the same strain. ‘Oh Rama! I am holding on to your feet. I will not let move even one step until you assure me your protection.’
Tyagaraja, in a similar vein, declared that he would not allow himself to be tempted by the treasures offered by the Raja of Thanjavur and he preferred the lotus feet of Shri Rama to all the wealth of the world.
‘Feet’ do not mean sandals made in silver or gold. Feet refers to the Divine that sustains everything. Why is such greatness conferred on the feet? Viewing matter from the point of view of science, it will be noted that blood flows from the feet upwards to all parts of the body. It is this blood, which sustains the entire body the feet that bear the burden of the entire body are essential for life itself. When you seek refuge in the Lord’s feet, you can secure a vision of the Divine form.
Here is a small example from the early life of Lord Krishna in Gokulam to show what the Lord’s feet mean. Krishna was known as one who used to steal butter from all houses and feed his friends and playmates too. As there were a lot of complaints about this naughty child, Krishna’s mother Yashodha caught hold of him one day as he was running away and asked him: ‘Why are you stealing butter from other houses while I offer you so much at home? Your mouth always smells of butter. Give up this habit. Otherwise, I will tie you to a mortar to restrict your movement. How do you do such things, being so small a child?’ He smiled and ran away. Yashodha went from house to house in search of Krishna. He played a small trick. Yashodha could not move fast as she had a heavy body. She was in a fix how to trace him.
Krishna dipped his feet in milk in a house and ran from there, leaving behind the trail of his footprints caused by the milk. It was only with the help of Krishna’s own footprints that she was able to catch him. In fact, because she was so eager to get at him, Krishna himself helped her to trace him. Yashodha was able to catch the Lord only through footprints of His Feet.
(Vishnu pada)
The Lord’s feet are glorious in many ways. But they will confer blessings only if they are sought with real faith. The Lord’s feet contain the Divine insignia of Shankha (Conch) and Chakra (Discus). Shankha symbolizes Shabda Brahman (the Cosmic Divine sound). The Discus represents the Wheel of Time. The Sound and Time together represent the different cosmic aspects of the Lord. The entire universe originated from sound vibrations. These vibrations are related to Time. Sound and Time are inseparable and interdependent.
It is common practice among rural folk to advise anyone who had committed a wrong to hold the feet of the person whom he has wronged. Once a man holds the other’s feet, it means that he has sought and secured the latter’s forgiveness. Nowadays, with all the Courts and legal processes, no one attempts to hold the feet of anyone. In the old days in the villages, if a man fell at the feet of another, the latter had no options but to forgive the supplicant.
The inner meaning of seeking the Lord’s feet is that thereby the Lord will forgive the sins of the penitent. But mere holding of the feet is not enough. One must be genuinely repentant and declare that he will not commit similar offences again. Only then he will secure atonement (SSS Vol.26, pp. 338-341)
(Paduka Festival)
Today we are celebrating the Paduka Festival (a festival for worshipping sandals blessed by the Lord) What is the significance of worshipping the Lord’s feet? There is the devotee’s yearning for touching the Lord. How is this to be done? The easiest way is to touch the feet of the Lord. A spiritual significance is attached to the touching of the Lord’s feet, which sanctify the earth by walking on it. Scientifically also there is meaning in ‘Pada sparsha’ (touching the feet). The blood circulates from the toe of the Lord’s Feet; he can experience a current present in the toe. That is a divine energy. From a mundane point of view the body appears as a physical form. But from the spiritual point of view, there is an aura around every body. It has effulgence (Tejas) from which arises ‘Ojas’ (Spiritual energy). This energy produces vibrations. That is why it is declared: ‘Darshanam Papa nashanam’ (Sight of the Lord destroys all sins). ‘Sambhashanam sankata nashanam’ (Dialogue with the Lord destroys all sorrows). ‘Sparshanam karma vimochanam’ (The touch of the Lord frees one from the consequences of one’s actions). When the devotee touches the Lord, it is like the linking of the negative and positive wires, which generates divine energy. This connection should be from heart to heart. Only then the Divine energy will flow (from the Lord to the devotee). Then the Lord and the devotee become one. Because the spiritual significance of these practices is not properly understood people fall a prey to confusion. Men should go away from the worldly path like the fish which swim against the current in the river. That is the way to realise the Divine. If you allow yourself to be carried away by the worldly current, you can only meet with a sad end. Whatever the world may think, keep your eye on the spiritual goal. When people ask for liberation, they should understand that liberation means oneness with the Divine. Become aware of your divinity. Then worldly thoughts will not enter your mind. To realise this oneness with God, one has to chant the Lord’s name incessantly. You must pray for the vision of the Lord’s feet in your heart. There should be no room for evil thoughts and feelings. (SS Jan 95 , p. 16)